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How to manage your direct messages • How to turn read status on or off • Safety features for direct messaging
How to manage your direct messages
You can manage your direct messages from your inbox on TikTok.
How to delete, mute, and filter direct messages
To delete a chat:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Inbox at the bottom.
2. From here:
༚ For iOS devices, swipe left on a chat, then tap Delete.
༚ For Android devices, press and hold on a chat, then tap Delete.
To delete a single direct message:
1. Go to the chat in your inbox.
2. Press and hold on the direct message, then tap Delete:
༚ To delete the message only for you, tap Delete for me. The receiver(s) will still see the message.
༚ To delete the message for both you and the receiver(s), tap Delete for everyone within 3 minutes of sending the message.
To mute direct message notifications:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Inbox at the bottom.
2. From here:
༚ For iOS devices, swipe left on a chat and tap More, then tap Mute to stop getting notifications.
༚ For Android devices, press and hold on a chat, then tap Mute to stop getting notifications. You can also mute notifications directly from a chat by tapping the More options … button at the top of the chat, then turning the Mute notifications setting on or off.
To filter direct messages:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Inbox at the bottom.
2. Tap Message requests, then tap the Settings button.
3. Choose your filter preferences:
༚ Filtered requests: Filter messages that appear to be from unsafe sources. Once you accept these messages, they appear in your inbox.
༚ Always allow business messages: Receive messages from TikTok Creator Marketplace brands. They can send you up to 3 messages before you accept their requests.
How to manage message requests
To accept or delete a message request:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Inbox at the bottom.
2. Tap Message requests, then tap the chat request.
3. Tap Accept to receive the message or Delete to remove the request from your inbox. You can also tap Report to report the message. If you accept the request, the person is notified in the chat. Keep in mind that accounts you've blocked can't send you message requests.
How to manage who can send you direct messages
To turn on your direct messages or change who can send you direct messages:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
2. Tap the Menu ☰ button at the top, then select Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Privacy.
4. Tap Direct messages, then choose from the list of options who can send you messages:
༚ Everyone: Anyone can send you a direct message. Messages from mutual friends and people you follow appear in your inbox.
༚ Suggested friends: Matched friends, including synced Facebook friends and phone contacts, people who open or send links to you, and followers who you follow back, can send you a direct message.
༚ Friends: Any followers that you follow back can send you a direct message.
༚ No one: You can't receive direct messages from anyone. Keep in mind that if you choose this setting, you can't receive direct messages. You can still access your message history in your inbox, but you can't receive new direct messages in those chats.
Keep in mind that some of these options are not available to everyone.
If your direct message setting is set to Everyone, Suggested friends, or Friends, messages from people you don't follow may appear in your inbox as a message request. You can choose to accept, delete, report, or block these messages.
How to turn read status on or off
Read status lets you see if someone has read your direct message and vice versa.
To turn read status on or off:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
2. Tap the Menu ☰ button at the top, then select Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Privacy.
4. Tap Direct messages, then turn the Read Status setting on or off. For people aged 18 years and older, this setting is turned on by default.
Keep in mind that the other person will know when you read their message only when both of you have the read status turned on.
Safety features for direct messaging
There are several safety features for direct messaging to ensure messages adhere to our Community Guidelines and to give you the opportunity to take action against unwanted messages or people, including:
• Reporting a message.
• Blocking someone from sending you messages.
How to report a direct message
If you receive a message that you think goes against our Community Guidelines, we encourage you to report it to us.
To report a direct message:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Inbox at the bottom.
2. From here:
༚ For iOS devices, swipe left on a chat, then tap Report and follow the instructions.
༚ For Android devices, press and hold on a chat, then tap Report and follow the instructions.
3. (Optional) Tap on a chat for more report options:
༚ Tap the Report button at the top and follow the instructions.
༚ Tap the More options … button at the top, then tap Report and follow the instructions.
༚ Press and hold on a direct message, then tap Report and follow the instructions.
How to block someone from sending you a direct message
You can block someone so they can't send you direct messages or view your videos on TikTok.
To block someone in your inbox:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Inbox at the bottom.
2. From here:
༚ For iOS devices, swipe left on a chat and tap More, then tap Block.
༚ For Android devices, press and hold on a chat, then tap Block.
3. Tap Block again to confirm.
You can also go to the direct message, then tap the More options … button at the top to turn the Block setting on. A Block label displays on chats that you've blocked from your inbox.